37 Her Brother's Apology

The morning came and Ara was preparing to go to school. She was in the dining room having breakfast while trying to contact Koharu's phone which was once again out of coverage area.

The girl had called her again many times around three in the morning, but of course she failed to pick those up. She always made sure to put her phone on silent mode as she needed to have a good rest.

She may have retained her divine inheritance, but her new body was still not used to it. She still felt fatigue easily, although it already improved compared to weeks ago when her seal first reappeared.

"The number you dialed is out of coverage area. Please leave a message after the beep…"

After the umpteenth time, Ara gave up. Whatever Koharu wanted, she'd find out at school, she thought, just as the sound of someone descending from the stairs caught her attention. She turned to see Aki trudging down.

He was in his office attire, a black suit, and a grey tie. He looked immaculate as always, except for the fact that this morning, his eyes were a little bloodshot, and he looked tired.

"Good morning," Ara called out, and she watched as her brother flinch as if her voice hurt him, and he cradled his head with his hand as soon as he sat on the table.

"Hangover?" Ara tried hard not to smile. She wondered how much Aki drank to look this terrible.

In her memory, this brother of hers could finish up to four flasks of sake and remain sane.

"Yeah," Aki groaned. "How did I get home?" he asked afterwards, and this time, Ara let out a hearty chuckle at her brother's expense.

"Oh my – you don't remember? Big bro Kaze took you back home with Kou," she answered and watched as her brother froze.

"What's wrong?" she asked worriedly, and then Aki slumped on the table as the maid served him soup and tea for his hangover.

"Nothing," Aki answered. "I just can't believe I'd get sloshed so bad I can't remember what happened. Those two drink alcohol like water," he continued in awe. "And I was thinking my tolerance was already high."

"How much did you drink?"Ara asked curiously. The other two men looked totally fine last night so it wasn't too much like Aki said, right?

"Thirty? Forty? I can't remember how many flasks of sake we had but we had a lot."

If Ara knew how to whistle, she'd have done so. "So that's why you passed out drunk last night. You were so funny too."

"What did I do?"

"Well, you forgot you had keys to the house and caused a ruckus outside the door 'til the maid opened the door for you. You were blabbing about apologizing to me before you dropped on the floor. The servants had to carry you to your room."

Urgh…

Aki's expression really looked like he was embarrassed. "I'm sorry Ara. Big bro will try not to drink too much next time."

"It's alright. You need to let loose and have fun with your friends sometimes. You haven't been doing that for a long time" Ara assured him.

Since their parents died, Aki was all about work and didn't really have time to go on vacations or see his friends until he lost contact with some of them.

With the thought, Ara froze. "I…" Since when did she start thinking as if she was really Ara, she wondered?

But, shouldn't that be better? After all, the original would never come back, and she could never be Alinea again.

"This is my life now," she murmured, and she started to relax again.

"What?"Aki asked suddenly, and Ara shook her head.

"Nothing big bro, I'm just thinking what I would do at school later," she answered.

They were silent for a while as they continued eating when Aki looked pensive. He cleared his throat to get her attention, and when he did, her brother looked serious.

"Ara," Aki called her name, and Ara waited with breath held. He looked like he was going to tell her something really important in a bad way.

But she was wrong.

"I'm sorry…"

Huh?

"W-what for?" Ara asked as she tried to remember if Aki did something lately. But nothing came to mind. Come to think of it, her brother was trying to apologize to her last night as well when he was drunk.

"For not believing you," Aki continued, and Ara realized what he was talking about.

Silence hung between them again for a while until Ara shook her head and smiled.

"It's alright. Like I said big bro, it wasn't your fault. I haven't been nice towards you as well. I acted like a total wretch whenever we saw each other. It's understandable that you wouldn't believe me."

"I still want to apologize," Aki insisted and Ara grinned.

"Okay. Buy me a lot of taiyaki and I'll accept your apology," she haggled cheekily.

Taiyaki was the fish-shaped bread with sweet red bean filling. It was one of her favorite snacks.

"Okay, but you have to eat them sparingly or you'll get fat," Aki teased and Ara stuck her tongue at him.

Not a chance!

"Aren't you going to be late for school?"Aki asked. "It's already nine."

"It's alright. We have free time all morning today. Most of the seniors are visiting their future universities so we can come to school later today."

"Okay. I'll take you to school then. Asou already canceled all my morning appointments today so I'm free too."

With that, the siblings finished their breakfast. The housekeeper just took the plates from the table, when Aki spoke again.

"Ara…"

Ara turned to her brother.

"What are your plans for the future?" Aki asked softly and out of the blue that she was surprised yet again.

Then she remembered her newly found talent and her dilemma about her choice of studies at the university.

"Ah big bro, it's a good thing you asked me. I have a problem."

"Problem? What is it?"

"Well," she said as she gave him a coy smile, hoping he wouldn't get mad. "I want to ask you to help me transfer to the college of arts."

"Arts?"

Ara was nervous as she nodded. Most parents wanted their children to focus on something that would benefit a lot in their family. For example, families who have companies asked their children to take up a business course so they could help out.

In her case, if she remembered correctly, Ara never really asked Aki about her course in college because they were fighting that time and she chose the study randomly. So she wasn't sure if her brother would let her go her way this time.

"Okay. Why not?" Aki answered, and her eyes became wide as saucers.

"Really?"

"Yeah," Aki agreed without a hitch.

"You're not going to protest and ask me to take up business so I can help you with Suzuki Raiden?" She asked, and Aki let out a chuckle.

"Ara, your bother has a lot of good people helping him at the company. I will not force you to study something if you don't have your heart in it. As long as you like to study something – and as long as you promise you will not change your mind and you will work hard and not give up half-way, I will support you."

"AAAAAAAH big bro, you're so cool!"

Ara jumped with joy. She didn't expect things to be easy like this. However, Aki didn't seem to be as happy as she was.

"If it's okay why do you look like that?"Ara was suspicious. "You're not going to take your words back?"

Aki shook his head, then smiled a bit sadly that Ara sat back down.

"Ara, big bro may be able to help you with your studies, but…"

But?

Ara was curious as well as nervous again. She looked at her brother with questioning eyes.

"I'm so sorry Ara. Brother couldn't do anything about the other most important thing."

"What is it?" The suspense was killing her.

"It seems our parents made an engagement contract with someone for you when you were born – and it's legally binding."

With his words, Ara was dumbfounded.

Huh?

"You're engaged to be married to the prince of the Homura House…"